Page 7 of Wanting His Girl

I can't help the grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. It's been a long time since anyone's piqued my interest the way Melanie has, and frankly, I'm not sure what to do with this sudden twist in my usually quiet life.

"I thought the Walkers were hopeless romantics," Boone jests, his tone light but tinged with a hint of seriousness. "But at this rate, you and your brothers will all be hitched by Christmas."

Fit Mountain has an uncanny knack for fostering whirlwind romances. Just this past year alone, my three brothers have each found their match and are now blissfully engaged.

"But I'm not so sure wedding bells are in my future," I reply.

Boone raises a brow. "Why not?"

"There’s a pretty big age gap between us," I sigh.

"Age is just a number, man. I've seen plenty of May-December things work out. Heck, my aunt and uncle had twenty years between them, and they were the happiest couple I knew."

I nod slowly, knowing he means well. Boone's always been the type to see things in black and white.

But I can't help but wonder if I'm being selfish even considering it.

What could I offer Melanie? She’s got that fire in her eyes, the kind that speaks of dreams not yet chased.

"I just don’t want to hold her back."

Boone slaps my shoulder and laughs. "You're not some old geezer, Jake. You’re a fit, successful guy who retired early because he could. Don’t sell yourself short."

“Yeah, I guess that’s true,” I say with a half-smirk.

"Besides," he adds with a grin, "you never know until you try. Worst case, she says no and you move on. Best case, you both find something worth exploring."

"Maybe," I reply.

But I can feel the edges of my resolve softening.

"Alright," I finally concede, a determined breath escaping me. "I'll think about it."

"Thinking's good," Boone says with a nod. "But doing's better."

He's right. I've spent too long playing it safe, staying within the lines of my comfort zone. If there's even a chance that Melanie and I could have something real, I owe it to myself to find out.

"Okay," I say, more to myself than to him. "I'll do it. I'll ask her out."

"Thatta boy!" Boone exclaims, clapping me on the back with enthusiasm.

As I head out of the shop, I pull out my phone to text Melanie. The museum isn’t open yet, and I’m hoping her roommates haven’t taken her to work yet.

Morning gorgeous. Do you work today?

Her reply comes less than a minute later.

Yeah, I’m about to catch the bus soon. Why?

Forget about the bus, baby. Give me your address. I’m coming to pick you up.

After I leave Boone’s, I head to Melanie's apartment complex.

It's a modern building with a touch of rustic charm, much like the town itself. She shares the place with a couple of roommates, but if things go according to plan tonight, that might not be for long.

As I pull up to the curb and switch off the engine, a wave of anticipation washes over me. I step out of the truck and head towards her front door. But before my knuckles can meet the wood, it swings open.

There she is - Melanie. Dressed in a fitted pencil skirt, black pumps and a blouse with a neckline that plunges just enough to tease without revealing too much. The outfit clings to her curves in all the right places, and for a moment, I feel my throat constrict as if someone had sucked all the air out of me.

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